2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Use of estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, expenses, and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period. The most significant estimates in Company's consolidated financial statements relate to accrued expenses, the fair value of convertible debt and the fair value of stock-based compensation. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable, the results of which form the basis for making judgements about the carrying values of assets and liabilities. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Changes in estimates are reflected in reported results in the period in which they become known.

Concentration of Credit Risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to a concentration of credit risk consist of cash. The Company’s cash is principally held by one financial institution in the United States. Amounts on deposit may at times exceed federally insured limits. Management believes that the financial institution is financially sound, and accordingly, minimal credit risk exists with respect to the financial institution. As of December 31, 2019, the Company had deposits in excess of federally insured amounts by $13.2 million.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The Company’s financial instruments include principally cash, prepaid, other current assets, right of use assets, accounts payable, accrued liabilities, lease liabilities, convertible debt and preferred stock. The carrying amounts of prepaid expenses, accounts payable, and accrued liabilities are reasonable estimates of their fair value because of the short maturity of these items. See Note 12 — Fair Value Measurements, for further discussion of fair value.

General and Administrative Expenses

General and administrative expenses consist primarily of personnel‑related costs, including salaries and stock-based compensation costs, for personnel in functions not directly associated with research and development activities. Other significant costs include legal fees related to intellectual property and corporate matters and professional fees for accounting and other services.

Research and Development Costs

Research and development costs are charged to expense as incurred. Research and development expenses are comprised of costs incurred in performing research and development activities, including clinical trial costs, manufacturing costs for both clinical and pre-clinical materials as well as other contracted services, license fees, and other external costs. Nonrefundable advance payments for goods and services that will be used in future research and development activities are expensed when the activity is performed or when the goods have been received, rather than when payment is made, in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 730, Research and Development.

Acquired In‑Process Research and Development Expenses

The Company includes costs to acquire or in‑license product candidates in acquired in‑process research and development expenses. These costs are immediately expensed provided that the payments do not also represent processes or activities that would constitute a “business” as defined under U.S. GAAP or provided that the product candidate has not achieved regulatory approval for marketing and absent obtaining such approval, has no alternative future use. Royalties owed on future sales of any licensed product will be expensed in the period the related revenues are recognized.

Income Taxes

The Company utilizes the liability method of accounting for income taxes as required by ASC 740, Income Taxes. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between financial reporting and the tax basis of assets and liabilities and are measured using enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse. Currently, there is no provision for income taxes, as the Company has incurred operating losses to date, and a full valuation allowance has been provided on the net deferred tax assets.

Stock‑Based Compensation

The Company accounts for stock‑based compensation in accordance with the provisions of ASC 718, Compensation — Stock Compensation (“ASC 718”). Accordingly, compensation costs related to equity instruments granted are recognized at the grant‑date fair value. The Company records forfeitures when they occur. Stock-based compensation arrangements to non‑employees are accounted for in accordance with the applicable provisions of ASC 718 using a fair value approach.

Convertible Notes

The Company evaluates all conversion and redemption features contained in a debt instrument to determine if there are any embedded features that require bifurcation as a derivative or separation as a beneficial conversion feature. The host debt instrument is discounted for the value of any embedded feature that is accounted for as either a derivative or a beneficial conversion feature. The discount is amortized and recorded to interest expense over the term of the host debt instrument using the effective interest method. The Company’s convertible debt contained an embedded beneficial conversion feature that was separated and recorded as additional paid-in capital.

Fair Value of common stock

In the absence of a public trading market prior to the Merger, and as a development stage company with no significant revenues, the Company believed that it was appropriate to consider a range of factors to determine the fair value of the common stock at each grant date. In determining the fair value of its common stock, the Company used methodologies, approaches, and assumptions consistent with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants' (AICPA) Audit and Accounting Practice Aid Series: Valuation of Privately Held Company Equity Securities Issued as Compensation (the "AICPA Practice Guide"). The valuations of Private NeuroBo common stock were prepared using a hybrid method, which used market approaches to estimate the enterprise value of Private NeuroBo. The hybrid method is a probability-weighted expected return method ("PWERM"), where the equity value in one or more of the scenarios is calculated using an option pricing method, or ("OPM"). The PWERM is a scenario-based methodology that estimates the fair value of common stock based upon an analysis of future values for Private NeuroBo, assuming various outcomes. The common stock value was based on the probability-weighted present value of expected future investment returns considering each of the possible outcomes available as well as the rights of each class of stock. The future value of the common stock under each outcome was discounted back to the valuation date at an appropriate risk-adjusted discount rate and probability weighted to arrive at an indication of value for the common stock. A discount for lack of marketability of the common stock was then applied to arrive at an indication of value for the common stock. The OPM treats common stock and preferred stock as call options on the total equity value of a company, with exercise prices based on the value thresholds at which the allocation among the various holders of a company's securities changes. Under this method, the common stock has value only if the funds available for distribution to stockholders exceeded the value of the preferred stock liquidation preferences at the time of the liquidity event, such as a strategic sale or a merger. In addition, the Company considered various objective and subjective factors, along with input from an independent third-party valuation firm. The factors included (1) the achievement of technical and operational milestones by the Company; (2) the status of strategic relationships with collaborators; (3) the significant risks associated with the Company's stage of development; (4) capital market conditions for life science companies and, in particular, similarly situated, privately held, early-stage life science companies; (5) the Company's available cash, financial condition, and results of operations; (6) the most recent sales of the Company's preferred stock to the extent they were with outside parties; and (7) the preferential rights of the outstanding preferred stock.

Leases

On July 1, 2019, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) (“ASU 2016-02”). The Company assesses its contracts at inception to determine whether the contract contains a lease, including evaluation of whether the contract conveys the right to control an explicitly or implicitly identified asset for a period of time. The Company has recognized right-of-use assets and lease liabilities that represent the net present value of future operating lease payments utilizing a discount rate corresponding to the Company’s incremental borrowing rate and amortized over the remaining terms of the leases. For operating leases of a short-term nature, i.e., those with a term of less than twelve months, the Company recognizes lease payments as an expense on a straight-line basis over the remaining lease term. See the “Recent Accounting Pronouncements Adopted” below for additional information related to the adoption of this guidance.

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment is recorded at cost and reduced by accumulated depreciation. Depreciation expense is recognized over the estimated useful lives of the assets using the straight-line method. The estimated useful life for property and equipment ranges from three to five years. Tangible assets acquired for research and development activities and that have an alternative use are capitalized over the useful life of the acquired asset. Estimated useful lives are periodically reviewed, and when appropriate, changes are made prospectively. When certain events or changes in operating conditions occur, asset lives may be adjusted and an impairment assessment may be performed on the recoverability of the carrying amounts. Maintenance and repairs are charged directly to expense as incurred.

Foreign Currency Translation

The foreign subsidiary uses the local currency as the functional currency. The Company translates the assets and liabilities of its foreign operation into U.S. dollars based on the rates of exchange in effect as of the balance sheet date. Expenses are translated into U.S. dollars using average exchange rates for each period. The resulting adjustments from the translation process are included in accumulated other comprehensive loss in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

Certain transactions of the Company are settled in foreign currency and are thus translated to U.S. dollars at the rate of exchange in effect at the end of each month. Gains and losses resulting from the translation are included in other income or expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss.

Patent Costs

Costs related to filing and pursuing patent applications are expensed as incurred, as recoverability of such expenditures is uncertain. These costs are included in general and administrative expenses.

Comprehensive Loss

Comprehensive loss is comprised of net loss and other comprehensive income or loss. Comprehensive loss includes net loss as well as other changes in stockholders' equity (deficit) that result from transactions and economic events other than those with stockholders. Comprehensive loss currently consists of net loss and changes in foreign currency translation adjustments.

Segment Information

Operating segments are components of an enterprise for which separate financial information is available and is evaluated regularly by the Company’s chief operating decision maker in deciding how to allocate resources and assessing performance. The Company’s chief operating decision maker is its Chief Executive Officer. The Company’s Chief Executive Officer views the Company’s operations and manages its business in one operating segment, which is principally the business of development and commercialization of therapeutics.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements Adopted

From time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") or other standard setting bodies that are adopted by the Company as of the specified effective date. Unless otherwise discussed, the Company believes that the impact of recently issued standards that are not yet effective will not have a material impact on its consolidated financial position or results of operations upon adoption.

In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-07, Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718) Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting ("ASU 2018-07"). This new guidance expands the scope of ASC 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation (ASC 718) to include share-based payments granted to nonemployees in exchange for goods or services used or consumed in an entity's own operations and supersedes the guidance in ASC 505-50, Equity-Based Payments to Non-Employees (ASC 505-50). Equity-classified nonemployee awards are measured on the grant date, rather than on the earlier of (1) the performance commitment date or (2) the date at which the nonemployee's performance is complete. Awards to nonemployees are measured by estimating the fair value of the equity instruments to be issued, rather than the fair value of the goods or services received or the fair value of the equity instruments issued, whichever can be measured more reliably. Entities may use the expected term to measure nonemployee options or elect to use the contractual term as the expected term, on an award-by-award basis. The Company adopted ASU 2018-07 in the first quarter of 2019. There was no impact on the Company's financial statements as a result of the adoption of this guidance.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (“ASU 2016-02”) which establishes new accounting and disclosure requirements for leases. ASU No. 2016-02 requires lessees to classify most leases as either finance or operating leases and to initially recognize a lease liability and right-of-use asset ("ASU 2016-02"). The Company adopted ASU 2016-02 in the third quarter of 2019 using the effective date approach to recognize and measure leases as of the adoption date. The Company has elected to utilize the available practical expedient to not separate lease components from non-lease components as well as the package of practical expedients that allows the Company not to reassess (1) whether any expired or existing contracts as of the adoption date are or contain a lease, (2) lease classification for any expired or existing leases as of the adoption date and (3) initial direct costs for any existing leases as of the adoption date. The Company also made an accounting policy election to recognize lease payment as an expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term for the short-term leases (less than twelve months).

Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework - Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement (ASU 2018-13). The new guidance modifies the disclosure requirements in Topic 820 as follows:

Removals: the amount of and reasons for transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy; the policy for timing of transfers between levels; and the valuation processes for Level 3 fair value measurements.

Modifications: for investments in certain entities that calculate net asset value, an entity is required to disclose the timing of liquidation of an investee’s assets and the date when restrictions from redemption might lapse only if the investee has communicated the timing to the entity or announced the timing publicly; and the amendments clarify that the measurement uncertainty disclosure is to communicate information about the uncertainty in measurement as of the reporting date.

Additions: the changes in unrealized gains and losses for the period included in other comprehensive income for recurring Level 3 fair value measurements held at the end of the reporting period; and the range and weighted average of significant unobservable inputs used to develop Level 3 fair value measurements.

This guidance is effective for all entities for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. The amendments on changes in unrealized gains and losses, the range and weighted average of significant unobservable inputs used to develop Level 3 fair value measurements, and the narrative description of measurement uncertainty should all be applied prospectively for only the most recent interim or annual period presented in the initial year of adoption. All other amendments should be applied retrospectively to all periods presented upon their effective date. Early adoption is permitted. An entity is permitted to early adopt any removed or modified disclosures upon issuance of ASU 2018-13 and delay adoption of the additional disclosures until their effective date. The Company does not expect that the new guidance will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740) which amends the existing guidance relating to the accounting for income taxes. This ASU is intended to simplify the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to the general principles of accounting for income taxes and to improve the consistent application of GAAP for other areas of accounting for income taxes by clarifying and amending existing guidance. The ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020. The Company does not expect that the adoption of this new guidance will have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.